A Game of Hearts
by Loki-Erised
Summary: Love hits at the strangest times. It is without logic and reason; driven instead by passion and fate. You can't choose whom you love, only how you love.  CLATO   collab fic
1. Prologue

_**Hi guys! This is Jenny, starting up a new Clato fic with my friend Charlotte (sourpatchwatermelon)! So this is a collab fic, and we're going to be doing alternating chapters. Thanks for reading!**_

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><p>He stared at her. Her sleeping form only two feet from his. He would've reached his arm over and pulled her close, but Glimmer was in the way. Damn her.<p>

Clove was the only person that mattered to him anymore. That much he knew, and he wasn't going to let her go anytime soon. He looked back up the tree where Katniss was. He hated her, and he would kill her. Cato sighed to himself and rested his head on his arm. Rest was what he needed. His eyes closed and he slept, dreaming of the first time he had met Clove.

And he was awoken by an immense buzz and a crash.

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><p>"Now today we're going to be working in groups of two. I'll choose two names out of this bowl over here, and each pair that I choose will be teamed together, alright?"<p>

The class nodded in acknowledgement, and the teacher took her cue and plunged her hand into the bowl of paper slips. Her hand came out, two slips between her index finger and her thumb. She read the names out loud. "Clove Andromeda, and Cato Abrafo."

The two who beared the names stood in unison and moved to the front of the class, waiting for the rest of the class to be paired. Clove craned her head to look up at the tall boy beside her, and held out her hand to him. He looked down at her hand with bright eyes, with the twinkle of innocence in them. He slowly took it, looking into the other's eyes.

She smiled at him. "Nice to meet you."

Cato smiled back at her. "Nice to meet you too." and as he said that, the teacher started assigning the pairs to their tables. Apparently, their assignment was to create a map of Panem, labeling each district, and naming what they manage.

Cato soon learned that Clove was an exceptional artist, for an eight-year-old, anyway. And quite honestly, and guiltily, he let her do all the work. Besides, what was boy to do while he was watching a girl draw?

"There, how does that look?" she asked, pushing the large piece of paper over to Cato's side of the table after about thirty minutes. He looked at it and nodded his head. Clove smiled and threw her hand up, shouting that she, or they, were done. The teacher, Mrs. Leo, who Cato disliked greatly, with high eyebrows, a long and sharp nose, thing lips, and piercing eyes, walked over and stared down at what Clove had accomplished.

"Hmm. Very good. Let us hang it up on the wall, shall we?" she said in a low voice. Clove smiled, and took the hand that the teacher had offered. Cato watched as the two took the drawing and pinned it up behind Mrs. Leo's chair. She ushered Clove back to her seat, and sat down. No other students in the class had raised their hands yet.

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><p>"So where do you live?"<p>

"By the mountains. My dad works at the training center. How about you?"

"I'm by the mountains too. My mom's really sick though. She has been for a long time."

Clove tilted her head, the sides of her mouth pointing down. Cato laughed. "It's alright though. It's like she getting better, really slowly though."

She leaned back on the bench they were sitting on and looked up toward the mountains. "I wish The Hunger Games didn't exist."

Cato looked at her with a look of confusion. "Are you kidding? I think they're great for showing your district honor. I want to be picked when I'm old enough." he said, pride dripping in his voice. Clove bit her lip and looked down at her feet.

"I think it's evil."

And then she left him sitting there, with only one wave of goodbye. Cato looked at her as Clove slowly walked away, her long braid trailing down her back. He sighed and picked up a rock, lazily throwing it into the bushes. And he headed back home.

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><p><em><strong>Since this is the first chapterprologue, I'm keeping it short. Charlotte will update next! Reviews are encouraged! :D**_


	2. Chapter 2

**_Second chapter! Sourpatchwatermelon wrote this:_**

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><p><em>"I wish The Hunger Games didn't exist."<em>

_Cato looked at her with a look of confusion. "Are you kidding? I think they're great for showing your district honor. I want to be picked when I'm old enough." he said, pride dripping in his voice. Clove bit her lip and looked down at her feet._

_"I think it's evil."_

_And then she left him sitting there, with only one wave of goodbye._

_And he was awoken by an immense buzz and a crash._

"Clove!" yelled Cato tensely, jumping to his feet and anxiously shaking Clove's sleeping form.

"Mhmm" was the mumbled reply.

"Come on! We have to go! Damn it Clove; get up!"

Clove stumbled to her feet, almost falling to the ground, until Cato caught her waist and began dragging her away from the furious, swarming insects. Cursing profusely, Cato released her waist and grabbed her slender wrist, yanking them forward into a sprint. The duo tore through the forest for what must have only been minutes but felt like hours. Panting, they at last stopped in front of a tall oak tree, the ground below them littered with leaves.

"Clove, god, Clove are you okay? I'm sorry if I hurt you I was just so damn scared, It's—"

Clove just swayed silently, her arms speckled with stings and her face deathly pale before her knees buckled and she collapsed sideways, Cato catching her just before she hit the ground.

"Clove!"

Cato had never met someone that so openly opposed The Hunger Games. It confused him; his entire life he had looked forward to the day when he could fight the other boys for the esteemed spot as District Two's male tribute. Clove intrigued him; her bright blue eyes flashed with a certain curiosity and knowledge behind them. She was so utterly convinced and adamant that The Hunger Games were evil and this certainty piqued his curiosity.

"Cato are you even listening to what I am say?" frowned the teacher from the front of the classroom, "If you are planning on passing this class I suggest you at least pretend to care about the history of Panem."

Sighing and sitting up a bit, Cato picked up his pencil and begrudgingly pulled his notebook toward him. The teacher nodded, continuing her lecture while Cato returned to his former slouch and resumed his thoughts of Clove. The girl puzzled him; he hadn't talked to her since that one project two years ago, but her words had never left his mind. She sat a few desks in front of him; her hair, now worn down, fell in soft waves about her face. She was furiously scribbling notes in her flowery script, the tip of her tongue poking out of her mouth a bit in contemplation.

_She's actually pretty cute_ thought Cato before he shook his head to free his thoughts and turned his attention back to the lecturing teacher.

"… and boys for this assignment, I would like you to select a female partner with whom you will work for the remainder of the year. Pick wisely; you will not be able to change partners, and I expect quality work to be handed in as always. You have a few minutes to choose your partner and then I will explain your goals."

Glad that he tuned in to the lesson for once, Cato grinned and rose to his feet. He strolled towards Clove's desk, hesitating only momentarily before saying, "Clove."

Startled from her work, Clove looked up catching Cato's eye and smiled a small smile.

"Cato." Clove replied, nodding her head and waiting for him to continue.

"So I hear we are supposed to pick partners, for what I am not entirely sure, but anyways I was wondering if you would do me the honor of working with me."

Clove grinned, "And tell me why I would do you such a honor."

"Because you're smart and you're bored with everyone in this class, and I am a fascinating person to converse with. And I am also attractive, not to mention charming and witty." Cato drawled.

Clove merely snorted and gestured to the seat next to her, saying, "You're lucky I am in a good mood today."

Smirking, Cato took a seat. This was going to be fun.


End file.
